Organize Kitchen Drawers and Cabinets | A Kitchen Refresh

Time to organize those kitchen drawers and cabinets for a kitchen refresh. Get the best tips for keeping your kitchen clean and tidy.

Kitchen’s have a way of getting out of hand, don’t they? Especially in the little nooks and crannies that you find in the back of a cabinet or the bottom of a drawer.

One day your kitchen is perfectly clean and the next day you find a collection of crumbs and scuff marks where they have no business being. Your utensils seem to have wandered all over the place and eventually things just end up in a jumbled mess. That was the state of my kitchen recently.

It happens to all of us. I like to think of it as a sign of a well-used kitchen. A kitchen in need of a refresh!

If your kitchen is feeling a bit messy and jumbled like mine was, then it’s time to organize those kitchen drawers and cabinets. Keep reading to see how I did this in my kitchen and get great tips for keeping your drawers and cabinets well organized.

Additionally, if you are looking for IKEA kitchen inspiration, all our cabinets were purchased from there and seeing how I use them should leave you with a lot of ideas.

To watch the YouTube video of this project, click on the button below.

Step 1: Take Everything Out

First things first! You gotta start by taking everything out of your kitchen drawers and cabinets.

This part can be a bit overwhelming, but it’s essential to help you see what you have. You might just find that you’ve got utensils you don’t use or want. You might find food storage containers with missing lids (always). Something might be broken and unusable. Now is your time to trash or donate unwanted items to free up space for the things you do want.

Taking everything out of your kitchen drawers and cabinets also gives you cleaning access. There will be crumbs or smudges or scuffs (always). You need everything cleared out so it’s ready to clean.

Step 2: Clean Your Drawers and Cabinets

I like to give my kitchen drawers and cabinets a good wipe down with a rag and some Force of Nature Multipurpose Cleaner. Sometimes a scrub brush or sponge comes in handy for cleaning the tough spots.

If you use kitchen drawer organizers (which I highly recommend!), make sure that they get emptied and wiped down as well.

Once everything is clean, you’re ready to organize those kitchen drawers and cabinets.

Step 3: Assign a Spot for Everything

I like to assign a spot for all my kitchen items based on use and category. Kitchen towels and cleaning supplies near the sink, oven mitts and spice jars near the stove etc.

Think through how you use the items in your kitchen and designate spaces for them in drawers and on shelves. You don’t want to have to run back and forth every time you cook in the kitchen.

You’ll make your life easier by spending a few minutes thinking through where everything goes and adjusting if your old organization wasn’t working well.

Grouping like items can also be helpful in the kitchen. I do this with my dishes so that I can keep track of what I have.

This grouping method also works well for food. Keep like items together for easy access.

Some people like to label the inside of their drawers and kitchen cabinets as a reminder of what goes where. That’s another great way to stay organized in the kitchen.

Step 4: Use Organizers in Your Kitchen Drawers and Cabinets

Step 4 is my favorite! Get and use organizers in your kitchen drawers and cabinets. I’m talking about bins, drawer dividers, silverware trays, storage compartments, etc. This makes a world of difference!

It’s hard to keep a drawer tidy when everything is free to mix and mingle without separation. By using organizers wherever possible, you’ll be able to organize those kitchen drawers and cabinets and keep them that way much more easily.

And remember, organizers aren’t just for dishes and utensils. They’re a great way to organize food in your cabinets and pantry. I use them all the time for small items. It’s easier to find everything and it also looks nicer than the boxes of store packaging.

If you don’t have drawer organizers, make sure to measure the dimensions your drawers to make sure you only bring home organizers that will fit your space!

Where to Get Organizers for Kitchen Drawers and Cabinets

There are tons of different types of drawer and cabinet organizers out there. You can find large trays with multiple compartments or single trays that you can arrange to your liking. There are plastic options and wood or bamboo options. Some kitchen drawer organizers even have an in-drawer knife block which is super handy for organizing knives and other cutlery. We found most of ours at IKEA, and I love that they fit the drawers perfectly.

I have a few organizers that I absolutely love using in my kitchen. You can find them, as well as other kitchen essentials at my TIDBITS & Company Kitchen Favorites Moonsift Board. Check it out for links and product details.

You’ll be amazed at the difference in how tidy your kitchen stays when you use organizers!

Step 5: Put Everything Away and Enjoy Organized Kitchen Drawers and Cabinets!

Once you’ve got everything organized, you’re ready to put it all away and enjoy your tidy kitchen.

Isn’t that nice? Much better than the jumbled mess that it was before.

Tip: How to Organize Deep Kitchen Drawers

Deep drawers in the kitchen can present a real organization challenge. Smaller items tend to get lost in them and sometimes the space gets wasted.

I have found that drawers with lots of depth are great for things like small appliances, pots and pans, large bowls or other bulky items.

Another great idea is to use drawer dividers or organizers in those deep spaces. I have a drawer with deep storage compartments that allows me to store my baking sheets on their sides. This makes accessing those dishes much easier since they aren’t in a giant stack.

More Ideas for Home and Kitchen Organization

I am loving my newly organized kitchen drawers and cabinets! It’s so nice to have a full kitchen refresh and to know everything is once again clean and organized. Like with any project, I wonder why I didn’t do this sooner. I guess that’s just the way it goes, isn’t it?

Up next for me will be the butler’s pantry. There is always something to work on around here 🙂

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing how I organize my kitchen drawers and cabinets. If you are on the hunt for more organizing ideas, I’ve got lots for you to see. Please feel free to look around.

Happy Organizing!

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